Oyo
Successor to the Oyo Empire where Ibadan rose from war camp to Africa's second-largest city and Cocoa House became the continent's first skyscraper.
Oyo State exists because the Oyo Empire's successor city needed recognition. The Oyo Empire dominated Yorubaland from c. 1300 to 1896, controlling territory from the Volta to the Niger during its peak (1650-1750). When Fulani conquerors destroyed Old Oyo (Oyo-ile), Alaafin Atiba declared New Oyo the seat of power around 1830, and Yoruba military commanders established Ibadan as a war camp that became Africa's second most populous city. The British railroad reached Ibadan in 1901, and cocoa made the city boom - Cocoa House became Africa's first skyscraper, symbolizing agricultural wealth. Created in 1976 from Western State, Oyo was further reduced when Osun split off in 1991. Nicknamed the "Pace Setter State," Oyo remains largely agrarian with Shaki as the breadbasket. Cassava, cocoa, tobacco, yams, maize, plantains, and kola nuts drive the economy. The Alaafin of Oyo maintains traditional authority that predates Nigerian independence. Ibadan hosts universities and industries ranging from textiles to food processing, though its population of 3+ million now faces infrastructure challenges. By 2026, agricultural processing and urban renewal in Ibadan will define whether Oyo's pace-setting reputation matches development reality.